Booker Ervin - The Freedom Book

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:30
Size: 97.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1964/2007
Art: Front

[7:42] 1. A Lunar Tune
[4:49] 2. Cry Me Not
[7:55] 3. Grants Stand
[9:26] 4. A Day To Mourn
[9:45] 5. Al's In
[2:50] 6. Stella By Starlight

Bass – Richard Davis; Drums – Alan Dawson; Piano – Jaki Byard; Tenor Saxophone – Booker Ervin. Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ; December 3, 1963.

In some ways tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin was the archetypal jazz player for the post-bop 1960s, combining the tradition of Texas sax with just the hint of edgy modernism, a sort of the Delta-meets-Morocco sound so accessible that it is easy to miss the chances Ervin took with his music. Although his career was short (cancer claimed him in the summer of 1970 when he was just shy of his 40th birthday), Ervin still managed to record some 20 albums as a frontman, most notably his "book" series, The Song Book, The Blues Book, The Space Book, and this fine session, The Freedom Book, which finds him working with a rhythm section of Jaki Byard on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Alan Dawson on drums. Recorded on December 3, 1963, The Freedom Book is a near perfect set of modern hard bop, ranging just far enough out there to feel fresh but retaining a strong lifeline to bop tradition. Highlights of the session include an impressive Ervin original, "A Lunar Tune," a fine version of Randy Weston's "Cry Me Not," the deliberately strident "Al's In," and another Ervin composition, the moving "A Day to Mourn," an emotionally charged ballad written after the assassination of JFK.ballad written after the assassination of JFK. [A bonus track, an interesting and brief treatment of Victor Young's "Stella by Starlight," a piece strongly associated with Charlie Parker, that was recorded at the Freedom Book session but originally released on the album Groovin' High, is included on the 2007 edition, further capping off a wonderful album.] ~Steve Leggett

The Freedom Book 

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Ituana - Back 2 Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:06
Size: 87.2 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Smooth jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Wichita Lineman
[4:25] 2. The River
[4:26] 3. Disorder
[4:05] 4. West End Girls
[3:27] 5. Numb
[3:56] 6. I Can't Stop Loving You (Though I Try)
[3:39] 7. Life On Mars
[3:15] 8. Cold Cold Heart
[3:04] 9. I Am... I Said
[4:14] 10. Imagine

Ituana, an enigmatic band with little internet presence. According to their bio on music database Discogs, they're a "Bossa nova group based in Los Angeles," and that's about the only information available. Their music is mostly comprised of coffee house ballads in line with bossa nova's jazz-inflected style, which, for those unfamiliar, is a popular Brazilian genre. But they've also built up a collection of old-school covers, including David Bowie's "Life On Mars," John Lennon's "Imagine," and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," among others. Their latest album os Back 2 Love.

Back 2 Love mc
Back 2 Love zippy

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Steve Grossman, Cedar Walton Trio - A Small Hotel

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:25
Size: 142.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[6:06] 1. Why Don't I
[7:30] 2. Body And Soul
[6:20] 3. There's A Small Hotel
[7:45] 4. Let's Cool One
[5:34] 5. Ceora
[5:15] 6. Someday My Prince Will Come
[5:58] 7. Blues For Francis
[8:34] 8. Nicoletta
[5:40] 9. Lady Bird
[3:38] 10. Monk's Mood

Bass – David Williams; Drums – Billy Higgins; Piano – Cedar Walton; Tenor Saxophone – Steve Grossman. Recorded March 4, 6, 1993 at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs.

Saxophonist Steve Grossman hasn't been a regular on the New York scene for many years but a crash  course sampling of the many sessions he has recorded with the likes of Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Barry Harris and Michel Petrucciani for starters as well as under his name as a soloist and with his own groups shows how much excellent playing he has under his belt.

A Small Hotel

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Marcelo Gaz - Travelin' Light: Chet Baker's Hits In Bossa

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:07
Size: 78.1 MB
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:33] 1. Angel Eyes
[3:24] 2. Travelin' Light
[2:20] 3. Just Friends
[4:33] 4. Old Devil Moon
[2:03] 5. Let's Get Lost
[1:54] 6. There Will Never Be Another You
[1:56] 7. My Funny Valentine
[2:22] 8. How Deep Is The Ocean
[3:38] 9. My Romance
[2:04] 10. But Not For Me
[4:12] 11. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You
[3:03] 12. Walkin'

Travelin' Light: Chet Baker's Hits In Bossa mc
Travelin' Light: Chet Baker's Hits In Bossa zippy

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The B-52's - Time Capsule

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:06
Size: 181.1 MB
Styles: New Wave
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[4:35] 1. Planet Claire
[3:34] 2. 52 Girls
[4:53] 3. Rock Lobster
[3:20] 4. Party Out Of Bounds
[3:58] 5. Strobe Light
[3:33] 6. Private Idaho
[3:57] 7. Quiche Lorraine
[3:50] 8. Mesopotamia
[3:57] 9. Song For A Future Generation
[4:33] 10. Summer Of Love
[4:48] 11. Channel Z
[4:54] 12. Deadbeat Club
[5:20] 13. Love Shack
[4:53] 14. Roam
[5:55] 15. Good Stuff
[5:08] 16. Is That You Mo-Dean
[3:32] 17. Debbie
[4:18] 18. Hallucinating Pluto

Taken in one concentrated best-of dose, it becomes evident what a coup the B-52's pulled off when they turned their own concentrated craziness into genuine hits. This is some of the weirdest stuff ever to make the charts, much less be loved by the masses. It's all here though--the mad surf guitar of Ricky Wilson (and later Keith Strickland), the banshee wails of Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson, and, of course, the, um, well, let's say vocalizing of freaky Fred Schneider. "Party out of Bounds" with a "Rock Lobster" on "Planet Claire," or "Roam" over to the "Love Shack" in "Private Idaho." Whatever you do in the B-52's universe will at least be good, clean, perverse fun. Contains two new songs. ~Michael Ruby

Time Capsule mc
Time Capsule zippy

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Horace Parlan - Body And Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:12
Size: 174.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[ 8:05] 1. Scrapple From The Apple
[13:52] 2. Vierd Blues
[12:44] 3. Sandu
[12:18] 4. Bag's Groove
[ 8:26] 5. Body And Soul
[12:52] 6. Confirmation
[ 7:52] 7. Easy Living

Horace Parlan overcame physical disability and thrived as a pianist despite it. His right hand was partially disabled by polio in his childhood, but Parlan made frenetic, highly rhythmic right-hand phrases part of his characteristic style, contrasting them with striking left-hand chords. He also infused blues and R&B influences into his style, playing in a stark, sometimes somber fashion. Parlan always cited Ahmad Jamal and Bud Powell as prime influences. He began playing in R&B bands during the '50s, joining Charles Mingus' group from 1957 to 1959 following a move from Pittsburgh to New York. Mingus aided his career enormously, both through his recordings and his influence. Parlan played with Booker Ervin in 1960 and 1961, then in the Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis-Johnny Griffin quintet in 1962. Parlan played with Rahsaan Roland Kirk from 1963 to 1966, and had a strong series of Blue Note recordings in the '60s. He left America for Copenhagen in 1973, and gained international recognition for some stunning albums on SteepleChase, including a pair of superb duet sessions with Archie Shepp. He also recorded with Dexter Gordon, Red Mitchell, Frank Foster, and Michal Urbaniak, and recorded extensively for Enja and Timeless. He died in Denmark in February 2017 at the age of 86. ~ Ron Wynn

Body And Soul

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Barbara Casini - Uragano Elis

Styles: Vocal, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:22
Size: 131,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. Agora Ta'
(4:12)  2. E' Com Esse Que Eu Vou
(4:21)  3. Corrida de Jancada
(6:04)  4. Na Batucada Da Vida
(2:05)  5. Marambaia
(3:19)  6. Vou Deitar e Rolar
(8:33)  7. Valsarancho
(4:03)  8. Alo Alo Marciano
(4:59)  9. Ponta de Areia / Cancao da America
(4:56) 10. Veracruz
(6:04) 11. Bolero de Sata'
(4:37) 12. Calcanhar de Aquiles

A pampered homage to Elis Regina by one of our best performers of Brazilian music. The artistic personality of Barbara Casini is unquestionable, as is her love for Brazilian music and the Portuguese language, which is now her second (or first) language. In the notes of the booklet the same Florentine musician says of Elis: " the emotion always on the lips, you fall in love with his breaths, tears and smiles guessed in his song ". And these are the feelings that Barbara Casini manages to convey in her interpretations. Twelve songs that marked the short life of the Brazilian singer, who disappeared only thirty-seven years, re-harmonized and arranged by Paolo Silvestri and performed by a rich ensemble: Riccardo Luppi with saxophones and flute, Marco Tamburini on trumpet and filicorno, Roberto Rossi on trombone and conchiglie, Natalio Mangalavite on piano and rhodes, Dado Moroni on piano playing three pieces, Sandro Gibellini on guitars, Raffaello Pareti on double bass and electric bass, Francesco Petreni on drums and Heraldo Da Silva : pandeiro, cuica, tamborim, surdo, congas. A cascade of sounds that intertwine around the luminous voice of the leader, whose experience and ability ignites every piece. S ranges from authors such as Baden Powell and Milton Nascimento to Pedro Caetano and Edo Lobo , up to Guinga , guitarist and composer who recently collaborated with Gabriele Mirabassi . A brilliant repertoire, which sparks energy, but not without lyrical and melancholic moments, such as the splendid Ponta de Areia , introduced by a single flute by Riccardo Luppi, which demonstrates its versatility also for saxophones. Rossi's trombone sings well in Agora Tà , dialoguing with the voice supported by the choral harmony of drums and percussion and by the punctual walking of Pareti . Moroni 's intervention in Corrida de Jangada , Valsarancho and Veracruz embellishes the three pieces with exquisitely jazzy fragrances. Casini puts his heart in every single song, tears and screams his passion but also under his breath, covering all the vocal forms imaginable, modulating the contrasts and the rhythmic changes. The orchestrality of the performances is the added value as well as the arrangements by Silvestri . Each of the musicians enriches them with new themes, new sensations. The story of Elis "Furacao" is retraced with extreme professionalism and a lot of artistic devotion. Translate by Google http://www.jazzitalia.net/recensioni/uraganoelis.asp

Uragano Elis

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Billy Taylor - Cross-Section

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:33
Size: 84,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:49)  1. Eddie's Theme
(3:09)  2. Mood For Mendes
(2:55)  3. Lullaby Of Birdland
(3:25)  4. Goodbye
(2:59)  5. Tune For Tex
(3:48)  6. Moonlight In Vermont
(3:12)  7. Biddy's Beat
(2:51)  8. I'll Be Around
(2:56)  9. I Love To Mambo
(3:11) 10. Candido Mambo
(2:57) 11. Early Morning Mambo
(2:17) 12. Mambo Azul

For this CD reissue, pianist Billy Taylor is features on eight songs with his trio of 1954 (which included bassist Earl May and drummer Percy Brice); the four originals (which alternate with standards) were all dedicated to disc jockeys of the time. The trio was pretty tight with Taylor in the lead and, although boppish, it also looked back toward the swing era.

The remaining four numbers match Taylor and May with what was dubbed "Machito's Rhythm Section": Charlie Smith on conga, Joe Mangual on bongos, Uba Nieto playing timbales and Machito himself on maracas. The four mambos are ideal both for listening and for dance music. An enjoyable set. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/cross-section-mw0000203377

Personnel: Billy Taylor (piano); Machito (marimba, maracas); Charlie Smith (drums, congas); Percy Brice (drums); Ubaldo Nieto (congas, bongos, timbales); Chico Guerrero, Jose Mangual (congas, bongos); Claydes Smith (congas).

Cross-Section

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John Wright Trio - South Side Soul

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:26
Size: 83,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. South Side Soul
(3:57)  2. 47th and Calumet
(5:21)  3. La Salle Street after hours
(4:06)  4. 63rd and Cottage Grove
(7:00)  5. 35th Street Blues
(5:30)  6. Sin Corner
(5:27)  7. Amen Corner

John Wright, who is now quite obscure, recorded five albums during 1960-62 that emphasized the souful side of hard bop. In a trio with bassist Wendell Roberts and drummer Walter McCants on his debut session (which has been reissued on CD), Wright performs seven of his originals, all of which have something to do with Chicago.

On titles such as "South Side Soul," "Salle St. After Hours" and "Amen Corner," Wright plays soulfully while swinging. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/south-side-soul-mw0000310418  

Personnel: John Wright (piano); Wendell Roberts (bass); Walter McCants (drums).

South Side Soul

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Philip Catherine - Cote Jardin

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:23
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Misty Cliffs
(2:21)  2. Seven Teas
(5:06)  3. Lost Land
(7:05)  4. La Prima Vera
(3:15)  5. Cote Jardin
(6:31)  6. The Hostage
(5:10)  7. Virtuous Woman
(5:10)  8. Yellow Landscape
(5:21)  9. Janet
(3:28) 10. Je me suis fait tout petit
(6:23) 11. Gilles et Mirona
(5:52) 12. Karagoz

"Philip Catherine: a sound, Philip Catherine: a man with a stunning originality, a guitarist embracing tradition, but so much finding his own road coming from that tradition. Philip the composer, Philip the virtuoso, Philip the artist searching for more, for something fresh, a new angle. The origin of the CD you hold in your hand goes back into Philip’s musical past. Somehow Philip’s strongest expression might be in his original compositions where he tries to paint musical pictures that each have a strong musical identity. His way of shaping the music in this way can be clearly traced back to his wonderful recording “Transparence” (1986), and one can also observe examples on different albums afterwards. Since a short while Philip created a new band with two young and upcoming musicians on the Belgian scene: Nicola Andrioli (1977),an Italian pianist living in Brussels, is more than a gifted and excellent instrumentalist: he is a strong composer and his sense of always knowing to play what is right for the situation is breathtaking. Drummer Antoine Pierre (1992!) somehow embraces it all: proficient in the modern idiom, yet with the ability to create a loose, deep and flexible swing when needed -a trait that is so very rare with drummers nowadays. Bassist Philippe Aerts (1964) has been on Philip Catherine’s side for almost 20 years and knows like no other how to cement the energy of the other band members into cohesiveness. His role is perhaps subdued, yet so essential in the creation of the music as a whole. The secret ingredient of this record for me is the presence of keyboard player Philippe Decock. His tasteful and often unusual use of sounds give the music a depth in sound and texture. A special word has to be dedicated to Philip’s daughter Isabelle. Isabelle came into the studio to sing one of her father’s classic tunes; “Côté Jardin” with gorgeous lyrics by Jacques Duvall. Her intimate interpretation draws one in. There is a graceful beauty about the way Isabelle delivers the words and the melody, unassuming and delicate, yet strong in its expression."(from the linernotes of the cd by Hein Van de Geyn).

Personnel:  Philip Catherine (guitar), Nicola Andrioli (piano), Philippe Aerts (double bass), Antoine Pierre (drums), Philippe decock (keyb), Isabelle Catherine (vocals on track 5)

Cote Jardin

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Friend 'N Fellow - Silver Live

Size: 132,0 MB
Time: 56:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Train Of Tears (Live) (5:10)
02. Lemon Yellow Sun (Live) (4:22)
03. My Baby Just Cares For Me (Live) (3:55)
04. Hope (Live) (3:16)
05. Elf (Live) (3:40)
06. A Dog (Live) (4:30)
07. Light My Fire (Live) (2:37)
08. Ring Of Fire (Live) (3:48)
09. Face In The Book (Live) (4:02)
10. Turn The Light On (Live) (3:14)
11. Signpost (Live) (3:42)
12. With Or Without You (Live) (5:26)
13. Crazy (Live) (9:06)

There is an anniversary to celebrate in 2016. Friend ’n Fellow is looking back on 25 musical years together.

Since 1991, when it all began with a concert in Leipzig, a lot has happened:
Tours throughout Europe, Asia and the USA
10 CDs and over 100,000 recordings sold
Evenings with Ray Charles, Al Jarreau and Luther Allison
Music for Box-Events and Formel 1 teams…

But what is much more special are the intimate, unique and moving moments during one of their live concerts.

Depth, class and entertainment – and focussing on the essence of good songs.
And so their new album Silver Live offers a whole hour of pure Friend ’n Fellow – recorded up close in full intensity during their About April tour in 2015.
Wonderful guitar sound and an extraordinary voice, or as one critic wrote so fittingly: One voice, one guitar – and the rest is amazement.

Silver Live

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Marcus Miller - Laid Black

Size: 125,6 MB
Time: 53:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Trip Trap (6:59)
02. Que Sera Sera (6:04)
03. 7-T's (5:56)
04. Sublimity ‘Bunny’s Dream’ (6:43)
05. Untamed (4:47)
06. No Limit (5:36)
07. Someone To Love (4:41)
08. Keep 'Em Runnin (5:19)
09. Preacher's Kid (7:43)

Miller Time, Marcus Miller’s three-hour exploration of the funky side of jazz, as the legendary bassist puts it, has become appointment radio for me. If I’m in my ride on a Sunday evening, I’m flipping over to Sirius radio station 67 to check out Miller Time.

Miller, who has worked with the likes of Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton and Meshell Ndegeocello, has view of jazz that is rangy and iconoclastic yet respectful to the art form’s traditions. He is after, all, the cousin of Wynton Kelly, who played the piano on “Freddy Freeloader,” the second song on Davis’ Kind of Blue. All of this explains why a Miller Time segment can include a hard bop classic such as Horace Silver’s “Song for My Father,” and then something straight funky from Incognito. Miller draws on his encyclopedic knowledge of jazz, funk, soul and hip-hop to educate listeners on how it all fits together. He’ll chuckle, ‘ha-ha’ when the tune ends if he’s really feeling it.

Miller chuckles at the end of “Trip Trap,” the live number that opens his upcoming album Laid Black. This cut finds Miller flipping the script on the hip-hop crowd by incorporating the percussive elements of Trap music - mainly its use of hi-hats, 808 kick drums into an improvised jazz setting. The cut features Miller showing why he remains one of the most creative improvisors on the bass and then ends with a freaky jam session between the keyboardist and horn player gives way to audience applause and Miller’s signature chuckle.

The second track on Laid Black, “Que Sera Sera,” is a tune Miller heard Doris Day sing both on the big screen and on her TV sit-com that ran from 1958 – the year before Miller was born – until 1973, when Sly and the Family Stone made the funkified cover version that the bassist reprises. Miller’s version finds the band wrapping a combination of slow driving blues funk, jazzy horns and sanctified backing vocals around Belgian singer Selah Sue’s wistful vocals.

Another remake finds Miller reimagining Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Runnin’,” an instrumental that served as a showcase for Verdine White’s bass work on that legendary band’s All ‘n All album. Miller transforms the track into a hip-hop cut where his percussive and percolating creativity on the bass serves as the focal point.

“Sublimity, ‘Bunny’s Dream,” finds Miller returning the theme of his 2015 project Afrodeezia, where he collaborated with musicians west and north Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean to honor the ancestors brought from the Motherland to these shores during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. “Sublimity” sports a gentle swing and finds Miller laying back and fitting in with west African styled percussion.

As is always the case with a Marcus Miller project, Laid Black reveals him as an artist as comfortable with a finger on the pulse of what is going on now as he is serving as caretaker of tradition. It’s another highlight in a career filled with highlights. Strongly Recommended. ~by Howard Dukes

Laid Black

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Tiffany Austin - Unbroken

Size: 140,8 MB
Time: 60:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Blues Creole (For Amede) (4:12)
02. Greenwood (3:50)
03. Ain't No Grave (Can Hold My Body Down) (5:11)
04. You Must Believe In Spring (5:37)
05. The Blessing (4:01)
06. Con Alma (5:45)
07. King Of Pleasure (6:14)
08. Better Git It In Your Soul (4:38)
09. Someday We'll All Be Free (4:20)
10. Music's Gonna Meet Me There (5:08)
11. Resolution (7:35)
12. Keep Your Eyes On The Prize (4:08)

One of the greatest talents of the great talent, vocalist Betty Carter, was her ability to sing in different voice personalities. She could purr the purest ballad, scat the fastest bop run, and dig the deepest in the blue notes. Carter's legacy has been wanting for a new talent to bestow its mantle...and that talent is Tiffany Austin. Add to this talent the vision for selecting an integrating theme to the repertoire and Unbroken, the sophomore release after 2015's Nothing but Soul (Con Alma Music) emerges as a fully formed masterpiece. The integrating theme here is the celebration of the robust spirit of African-American Culture and with the spirit of Betty Carter flowing through this recital, Austin draws a line in the sand...a deep one.

At the center of "Unbroken" is the indelible connection between the blues and jazz. Austin notes that she has encountered multiple instances were modern jazz has tried to separate the two, remarking the folly therein, saying, "How can you divide the music that comes from the same diaspora, the same spirit." In that spirit, Austin carefully illustrates through a dozen originals and standards the indivisible spirit of blues-jazz and Black America, themselves, together, indivisible. Rather than a repertoire of twelve songs, Austin weaves an extended tone poem that reaches in all directions, touching all things.

Austin opens with her original composition, Unbroken, her homage to the great Louisiana singer/composer/accordionist Amede Ardoin (1898—1942), whose violent end mirrored so many of the period. Ardoin's complete catalog of recordings was compiled and released by Tomkins Records on Mama, I'll Be Long Gone: The Complete Recordings of Amede Ardoin 1929—1934 (2011). "Blue Creole (for Amede)" is a bouncing swing-jazz, propelled by the crack rhythm section of pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Rodney Whitaker, and drummer Carl Allen, all once part of the Wynton Marsalis vernacular. Austin sings with all of the sensual gusto and abandon that Bessie Smith did in her homage to a pigfoot and a bottle of beer, but Austin's message is densely serious and grave. It is a unique juxtaposition of weighty subject matter versus ebullient music and singing.

But, just when the listener might have a grasp on direction of this recital, Austin introduces another original, "Greenwood." Again, against a brightly swinging back stop, Austin tells the sordid tale of mass murder in 1920s Tulsa Oklahoma's prosperous "Black Wall Street" neighborhood of "Greenwood" with a happy sweetness of the best Dinah Washington. Austin means to throw the listener off with these disparate messages of conflicting lyrics and delivery. She means to show that this Spirit will not be laid low, even when recalling low points. It is a triumph of the spirit and will.

The dramatic character of the disc is maintained with the traditional "Ain't No Grave (Can Hold My Body Down)." This spiritual gained attention recently appearing on Johnny Cash's final American Recordings release, Johnny Cash: American VI: Ain't No Grave (2010) and Tom Jones' excellent Praise and Blame (Island Records, 2010). These performances were that of the Prophet Elijah justifying his existence and mettle. Not so with Austin, who turns the spiritual on it ear, giving it a thorough contemporary make over at no expense to the necessary earthiness of the song. What Austin has done is refine the old song, gilding it with jazz splendor. She takes the dirt from her vocals on "Blue Creole" mixing it alchemically with the sophistication she brings to "Greenwood" to patent her "Grit and Grace."

Austin proves herself the vocalese/scat master throughout the disc. She has penned lyrics to Ornette Coleman's "The Blessing" and Charles Mingus' "Better Git It In Your Soul." These can immediately be considered major additions to the vocalese songbook, and Austin may take her place with Dorian Devins, Alyssa Allgood and Andrea Claburn as the best modern practitioner of the craft. Tiffany Austin has arrived. Period. ~C. Michael Bailey

Personnel: Tiffany Austin: vocals; Ashlin Parker: trumpet; Mitch Butler: trombone; Teodross Avery: tenor sax; Cyrus Chestnut: piano; Rodney Whitaker: bass; Carl Allen: drums.

Unbroken

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Melinda Hughes - Weimar & Back

Size: 118,8 MB
Time: 50:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Cabaret
Art: Front

01. In Berlin (3:02)
02. Berlin Im Licht (2:32)
03. We've Been Here Before (4:55)
04. Monotonous Night (2:08)
05. Illusions (3:52)
06. Das Lila Lied (The Lavender Song) (3:10)
07. All The Best Men Are Gay (4:58)
08. I Loves My Man (4:00)
09. Where A Stolperstein Stands (3:28)
10. Youkali (Tango Habanera) (5:40)
11. Chuck All The Men Out Of The Reichstag (2:07)
12. Britannia Waives The Rules (4:16)
13. Please Don't Invite Me To Your Country Estate (3:28)
14. Der Mensch Muss Eine Heimat Haben (3:16)

Melinda’s show takes a then-and-now journey through Weimar Cabaret, bringing alive songs by famous Jewish composers; Kurt Weil, Mischa Spolianksy and Friedrich Hollaender. A wealth of diverse songs were written during the late 20's and into 1930's depression amidst a cultural, intellectual surge of creativity and Germany on the brink of war. Music is interspersed with excerpts from the 1938 “Entartete Musik” (forbidden music) pamphlet and Christopher Isherwood’s “Goodbye to Berlin” the inspiration for the film Cabaret, making this unique show not only hugely entertaining but also educational.
Weimar & Back has been performed in Paris, New York and at the The London Festival of Cabaret.

Weimar & Back

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Phil Denny - Align

Size: 112,9 MB
Time: 48:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Switch Up (4:27)
02. Feel Alright (3:49)
03. Got It Like That (4:35)
04. Tryst (4:19)
05. Brio Bounce (3:44)
06. Solux (4:04)
07. Ride With Me (3:51)
08. Kinda Wanna (4:39)
09. Align (4:35)
10. Honey Step (4:13)
11. Absence Of Filters (5:59)

Saxophonist Phil Denny has already released four albums in a short time: Crossover (2012), The Messenger (2013), Upswing (2015) and this year Align. Performances on many festivals will not rest him on his laurels. With his 2nd annual Armory Smooth Jazz Fête he is among the exclusive circle of promoters.

His fourth album Align was written by Phil in parts with the support of participating musicians. Phil performs on this album tenor, alto and soprano sax, EWI. Further joining musicians are Matt Godina (keys, guitar, programming), Nathaniel Kearney Jr., Mel Brown (bass), Eric Valentine (drums), David P. Stevens (guitar), Lew Laing (keys, bass, programming), Adam Hawley (various instruments), Big Mike Hart (guitar, acoustic guitar), programming), Andrew Freeman (rhythm guitar), Buddy Bangs (keys, programming), Joe Archie (keys, guitar, synth bass, programming, strings) and Stacey Lamont Sydnor (percussion).

First track of the album is Switch Up which already climbs the charts as a single release. The forceful rhythmically-charged song encapsulates Phil Denny as a prolific artist quickly appearing on your screen. Feel Alright featuring David P. Stevens is spreading good mood going with confidence through the roof.

The mid-tempo Got It Like That offers a heavy dose of saxy groove. Tryst aptly creates a romantic message for your special lover. Brio Bounce is bursting with zest for life and if I did not know better, the song could easily go through as disco stomp. The soprano sax is often associated with lovely melodies. Phil makes no difference to this instrument. On So Lux he offers the tenor saxophone to the soprano sax as second part.

Ride With Me plays with the double meaning of the idiom. Special feature of this piece is the use of strings as their own instrumental voice. Perhaps it serves the listener to the subsequent piece Align, which has a pronounced orchestral arrangement. The soprano sax is particularly dominant, as it is to some extent overdubbed with the same instrument.

On Honey Step and Absence of Filters Denny focuses on the strength of his expressive power and playing technique. If he leaves the elegiac away as with Kinda Wanna, also the play joke comes to light.

Still a new artist for some listeners, Phil Denny has built with his sparkling and expressive album Align the foundation of a rising star. ~Hans-Bernd Hulsmann

Align

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Rebecca Angel - What We Had (Feat. Jason Miles)

Size: 76,8 MB
Time: 32:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop/Samba Vocals
Art: Front

01. Winter Moon (5:13)
02. What We Had (3:52)
03. Agora Sim (3:15)
04. Feel Alive (3:51)
05. Stand By Me (4:04)
06. Jet Samba (Samba Jazz Happiness) (Radio Mix) (4:08)
07. Stand By Me (Electro Mix) (Bonus Track) (4:03)
08. Jet Samba (Samba Jazz Happiness) (Ipanema Mix) (Bonus Track) (4:30)

Four quick “s” adjectives come to mind when you first hear Rebecca Angel, making for some nice descriptive alliteration: smooth, soulful, sensual and sultry. Listening to her soulfully produced and exquisitely arranged debut What We Had, we can top that off with sexy and unabashedly sentimental as well. The emerging NYC based singer makes every emotionally compelling track an invitation – to dream, to love, to reminisce wistfully about beautiful times gone by which infuse every waking thought of today. With every swaying breeze of her distinctive voice, whether she’s singing romantic lyrics or sharing her artful sense of vocalese, Rebecca tempts us to explore her cool and edgy contemporary update on the deeply exotic vibe of classic artists like Sade and Brazilian greats Bebel Gilberto and Astrud Gilberto.

She weaves this laid back magic over the old school soul, easy funk, ear tingling electronica and infectious grooves created by renowned jazz/R&B producer Jason Miles, who grounds every mix in the shimmering retro sounds of the Fender Rhodes, Vox Continental and Wurlitzer. He brought in some of New York’s finest for the various sessions. Rebecca’s dreamy and sensual twist on Hoagy Carmichael’s wistful (and not frequently covered) “Winter Moon” features acoustic bassist James Genus, percussionist Mino Cinelu and soprano saxophonist Hailey Niswanger. The equally nostalgic title track “What We Had,” a slowly swaying look back at enduring memories of the sensory joys of a past romance, was penned by Rebecca and her father, trumpeter Dennis Angel, with additional lyrics by guitarist Jonah Prendergast. In addition to Miles’ keyboards and percussion loops, it features Christian Ver Halen’s crisp guitar licks and the easy grooving rhythm section of Reggie Washington (bass) and Brian Dunne (drums).

On the other tracks, Miles leads an ensemble featuring Ver Halen, Dunne, bassist Adam Dorn, and percussionist Cyro Baptista. Special guests include Prendergast, renowned acoustic guitarist Ricardo Silveira and cellist Sebastian Stoger on a playful, spirited cover of the Brazilian gem “Agora Sim,” featuring Miles’ intoxicating electro-percussion. Also featured are Dennis Angel and flutist Gottfried Stoger.

The EP includes two versions each of the rock classic “Stand By Me,” and “(Samba Jazz Happiness (Jet Samba),” the latter of which was a popular radio single for Rebecca, who released the festive, playfully rhythmic track to coincide with the Rio Olympics in 2016. The song, originally penned and recorded as an instrumental by Brazilian composer Marcos Valle, reached high on the FMQB Adult Contemporary chart. The EP includes an “Ipanema Beach” remix featuring danceable, hypnotic and carnivalesque percussion textures. The first version of “Stand By Me” also lends itself to a trip-hoppy hypnosis via electro-percussion behind Rebecca’s wistful vocals. The second, which closes the set, has a more mainstream, seductive vibe, perfect for adult contemporary radio. Rebecca and Dennis also co-wrote the set’s other original, “Feel Alive,” a charming and innocent declaration of love and how it changes the heart, which breezes along like a brisk stroll on a balmy evening without end.

Rebecca recently graduated with a degree in voice from Ithaca College, where she studied with Roseanna Vitro, Cyrille Aimee (whose version of “Stand By Me” inspired Rebecca to record it), Carol McAmis, Kim Nazarian and Maya Azucena; Azucena helped the singer take her vocal on “What We Had” to another level. With her unique vocal timbre, Rebecca could certainly venture into any genre she likes. Those engaging with her artistry for the first time will be glad she’s chosen to go the sophisticated chill samba route.

What We Had

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George Kahn - Straight Ahead

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:32
Size: 145.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[4:40] 1. Rumour Has It
[5:37] 2. Work Song
[5:53] 3. Thieves In The Temple
[5:37] 4. Wonton Kelly
[5:31] 5. Can't Feel My Face
[4:07] 6. Roger Killowatt
[4:54] 7. Get Naked
[5:47] 8. Secrets
[4:19] 9. Thinking Out Loud
[6:11] 10. Dreamin'
[4:10] 11. Red's Riff
[6:42] 12. Follow Your Heart

George Kahn: piano; Alex Acuna: drums; Lyman Medeiros: bass.

Los Angeles-based pianist George Kahn likes to think of the standard piano trio format as a gateway drug into jazz. He may be right. Think of the classic trios, those of Red Garland, Nat "King" Cole, Bud Powell. Their sounds are addictive—and distinctively different—but they share the pared-down purity of purpose and relative simplicity of dynamic range that distills the listening experience to its essence. With that essence in mind, Kahn offers up the first trio outing of his career, Straight Ahead.

Kahn, who has been active in the Los Angeles jazz scene since the 1990s, has a charming accessibility. Catchy melodies and upbeat grooves are the name of the game with him. If he comes out of a school of the piano trio tradition, it must be the school of Ahmad Jamal. His sound is, like Jamal's, a straight ahead, unpertentious sea of sparkling effervescence, ebullient rhythms and life affirming positively. Refusing to stay with the expected jazz repertoire, Kahn and his trio-mates—drummer Alex Acuna and bassist Lyman Medeiros—open with pop singer Adele's "Rumor Has It," giving the tune a jaunty ride before they percolate into Nat Adderely's "Work Song," as a prelude to a dance-inducing take on Prince's "Thieves In The Temple." The trio also nods to some of the jazz legends with Kahn's original compositions: "Wonton Kelly" (Wynton Kelly, "Roger Killowatt" (Roger Kellaway), and "Red's Riff" (Red Garland), to offer up Kahn-tinted takes on the classic sounds of the legends. Kahn sounds right at home in the trio format, with the hihgly engaging Straight Ahead. ~Dan McClenaghan

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Helen Carr - Down In The Depths On The 90th Floor (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 24:56
Size: 57.1 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1955/2014
Art: Front

[3:01] 1. Not Mine
[5:15] 2. I Don't Want To Cry Anymore
[2:20] 3. Tulip Or Turnip
[2:48] 4. Memory Of The Rain
[3:11] 5. Down In The Depths Of The 90th Floor
[2:54] 6. You're Driving Me Crazy
[2:58] 7. I'm Glad There Is You
[2:25] 8. Moments Like This

Charlie Mariano: Alto Saxophone; Don Fagerquist: Trumpet; Helen Carr: Vocals; Max Bennett: Bass; Donn Trenner: Piano; Stan Levy: Drums.

One of the darkest vocal jazz albums of the 50s - packaged with a great title and cover image that features a lone lit window in a New York skyscraper! Helen has incredible backing on the record - a small combo that includes Charlie Mariano on alto sax, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, and Donn Trenner on piano - all gently sliding in behind Carr's blue vocals in a way that's similar to some of the Chris Connor work on Bethlehem from the same time. Titles include a near-perfect reading of 'Down In The Depths On The 90th Floor', plus 'Not Mine', 'Tulip Or Turnip', 'Moments Like This', 'I'm Glad There Is You', and 'Memory Of The Rain'.

Down In The Depths On The 90th Floor 

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'Killer' Ray Appleton, Melvin Rhyne Quartet - Latin Dreams

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:55
Size: 118.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Swing
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[6:15] 1. Night Vigil
[5:21] 2. I'll Take Romance
[5:38] 3. Cariba
[6:04] 4. The Very Thought Of You
[6:14] 5. Melvin's Masquerade
[4:27] 6. Lolita
[4:40] 7. Blue 'n' Boogie
[6:14] 8. Tequila
[6:58] 9. Full House

Despite the title, the musical direction of this 2004 recording isn’t Latin jazz. Instead, the real foundation of this session goes back to the Wes Montgomery Trio, circa 1955 in Indianapolis. That edition of the guitarist’s group featured drummer “Killer” Ray Appleton and Hammond B3 organ player Melvin Rhyne. Joined here by the great Latin percussionist Milton Cardonas and up-and-coming guitarist Ilya Lushtak, Appleton and Rhyne lead a laid-back excursion through a mixed bag of material ranging from a couple of swinging Rhyne originals, standards like “I’ll Take Romance” and “The Very Thought of You,” Dizzy Gillespie’s “Blue ‘n’ Boogie” and an energetic take on that old warhorse, “Tequila.”

Unlike a lot of B3 players, Rhyne takes a musical direction that’s decidedly more bop- than blues-oriented, adding plenty of interesting variations to his B3 grooves. Cardona’s presence on congas allows Appleton room to shine on cymbals-and the pair meld to create a rhythmic groove that finds a nice balance point between bop and Latin jazz. Add sparkling versions of Montgomery classics such as “Cariba” and “Full House” and you’ve got a strong recording that serves as a fitting reminder of the underappreciated talents of Rhyne and Appleton. ~Terry Perkins

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Quadro Nuevo, Cairo Steps - Flying Carpet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:50
Size: 169.0 MB
Styles: World music
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[6:33] 1. Shams
[7:33] 2. Flying Carpet
[6:20] 3. Symphony For The Sheik
[6:32] 4. Nilade
[6:29] 5. Dance Du Nil
[3:44] 6. Ikarus' Dream
[4:32] 7. Café Cairo
[6:14] 8. Gardens Of Damanhur
[6:47] 9. Tiepolo
[6:22] 10. Sansibar
[5:24] 11. Arabiskan
[7:14] 12. Gnossienne No. 1

Hailing from Germany, Quadro Nuevo has built a career assimilating musical influences from around the globe. While it's not unjustified to call them a jazz group, they've elevated their sound exploring the worlds of Argentinian tango, Austrian classical traditions, Indian raga, and Romanian folk customs, among others. The term “world music" may be a bit diluted and vague after years of being thrown about by record labels and PR firms (besides, isn't all music of our world?), but Quadro Nuevo has unquestionably earned the title considering their passport-friendly approach to composition and improvisation over the past 20 years.

With Flying Carpet they've collaborated with Cairo Steps, a relatively new collective by way of Egypt spearheaded by pianist Matthias Frey and oud virtuoso Basem Darwisch. Based on their first collaboration from back in January 2017, Flying Carpet features Quadro Nuevo and Cairo Steps building their unified sound augmented by the inclusion of flute, string quartet, and notable Sufi singers Ali El Helwabi and Sheikh Ehab Younis. The album features a tasteful blending of instruments and musical elements of widely divergent cultures, albeit while still exploring familiar ground for Quadro Nuevo. The Cairo Steps flex their musical influence right away in open track “Shams". A darbuka and duduk (Arabic percussion and wind instruments, respectively) open the tune with an exotic soundscape, later built up by Bollywood-inspired strings. Darwisch, Quadro's sax player Mulo Francel, and Cairo's duduk player Rageed William shine as they toss around the melody and trade solos, accentuating the drama without indulging in improvisational cliches. Title track “Flying Carpet" is more reserved, built upon a slow, alluring groove with ample space and ambiance.

Inevitably, most of the tracks on the album fall within the same structure of trading melodies and solos around the group, giving everyone a chance to shine. It's the path Quadro Nuevo tends to take (and Cairo Steps readily adapts) of blending global influences into song and improvisation structures at home in jazz. Despite treading on familiar territory, this variety of musical influences keep Flying Carpet feeling fresh and energized. The songs themselves may sound traditional, but it's the uniting of colors between European and Arabic instruments on tracks like “Tiepolo" and “Ikarus' Dream" gives the album depth. Inevitably, both Quadro Nuevo and Cairo Steps risk exploiting their diverse character as style over substance. It's intriguing to hear the blending of different musical cultures, but groups that embrace the “world music" tag for commercial purposes, inevitably, tend to sound stale. Notably, much of Flying Carpet works as both groups use the album to explore their sounds and test interactions. The Egypt-meets-Vienna waltz of “Café Cairo" thrives on its cross-cultural character, while the driving “Nilade" shines through the subtle yet colorful harp work of Evelyn Huber.

The closing track, a reading of Erik Satie's “Gnossienne No. 1" recorded live, best sums up the spirit of Flying Carpet. The French composer's work becomes source material primarily for improvisation, specifically from Cairo Steps who use their musical language to explore how Arabic elements fit within the Western classical tradition. While the recording does not break any new musical ground, it stands as a fine release for both groups, and a testament to how music can unite cultures under the same structures. ~Andy Jurik

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